Apple iOS 7.1 flaws, problems and fixes

Poor battery life

Battery life issues appears to be one of the main problems associated with an upgrade to Apple's iOS 7.1. Some users say that after upgrading, iPhones and iPads use juice far more rapidly, and intense use can result in a drain of up to 50 percent in an hour. One Apple forum user said that battery life drops by 5 - 7 percent when on standby for over five hours.

The solution? In order to fix the problem, try putting your mobile device through several charge and re-charge cycles. Additionally, use Settings - General - Reset and perform a "soft" reset first: Reset All Settings, and if that doesn't work, consider nuking everything via Erase All Content and Settings and reinstalling iOS 7.1 via iTunes.

If these fail, you may simply have to wait for a bug fix from Apple to arrive.

The five second lag

A number of users on Apple's community forum say that the iOS 7.1 upgrade has caused a lag of up to five seconds when using your mobile device's keyboard.

The solution? Performing a reset of your device by holding down the Sleep/Wake and Home button for at least ten seconds has been touted as a solution. Failing this, go to Settings - General - Reset - and click Reset Keyboard Dictionary.

Published: March 17, 2014 -- 10:22 GMT (03:22 PDT)

Photo by: Apple Communities

Caption by: Charlie Osborne

Bluetooth sound, pairing, and car issues

A number of users have complained that the iOS 7.1 update has caused connectivity, sync and hands-free problems when using mobile devices in their cars. In some cases, iPhones randomly switch between Bluetooth and stereo, causing music to stop for several seconds before audio is turned back on.

In addition, when making a hands-free call, a number of users find that audio is no longer routed through Bluetooth.

The solution? Check with your car dealer to make sure there are no known issues between the operating system and vehicle. After updating, unpair and re-pair your devices, and then restart your mobile device. If this fails, jump in to Settings - Bluetooth and make sure 'Sync contacts' is working.

Published: March 17, 2014 -- 10:22 GMT (03:22 PDT)

Photo by: Sarah Tew/CNET

Caption by: Charlie Osborne

Touch ID breaks after update

TouchID, Apple's fingerprint biometric scanner, has not avoided bugs in the updated operating system. Some users have complained that after upgrading to iOS 7.1, the feature stops working properly, and may not recognize your fingerprint any longer.

The solution? Go in to settings and make sure the update has not turned off the 'iPhone Unlock' option. However, if restarting, turning the feature on and off, or erasing all content and settings doesn't work, it is likely to be sensor failure and you will need to visit an Apple store for a hardware fix.

Published: March 17, 2014 -- 10:22 GMT (03:22 PDT)

Photo by: Apple

Caption by: Charlie Osborne

The death of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Bluetooth appears to be a sticky subject in the Apple forums; the update occasionally causing iPhones to disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity completely, and in other cases, Bluetooth disconnects constantly but Wi-Fi is stable -- or music audio no longer works.

The solution? Try restarting your mobile device and clearing your settings. Unfortunately, Bluetooth connection seems to be a persistent problem, and we may simply have to wait until Apple issues a fix.

Published: March 17, 2014 -- 10:22 GMT (03:22 PDT)

Photo by: Apple Forum

Caption by: Charlie Osborne

Volume issues

Some users have found that iPad volume malfunctions after upgrading.

The solution? The fix is simple -- reset your device by holding down the Sleep/Wake and Home button for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.

Published: March 17, 2014 -- 10:22 GMT (03:22 PDT)

Photo by: Lance Whitney/CNET

Caption by: Charlie Osborne

Personal hotspot problems

After upgrading to iOS 7.1 on an iPhone 4, some users report that personal hotspot APN settings refuse to save.

The solution? The problem appears to be a carrier issue, as only some carriers are official Apple resellers, and therefore APN settings must be registered with the iPad and iPhone maker. Call your carrier to find out, but if they are registered, you should receive a text message asking you to update your settings automatically.

If you're having teething issues with Apple's latest update, from battery issues to Bluetooth, you're not the only one -- but solutions exist.

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Poor battery life

Battery life issues appears to be one of the main problems associated with an upgrade to Apple's iOS 7.1. Some users say that after upgrading, iPhones and iPads use juice far more rapidly, and intense use can result in a drain of up to 50 percent in an hour. One Apple forum user said that battery life drops by 5 - 7 percent when on standby for over five hours.

The solution? In order to fix the problem, try putting your mobile device through several charge and re-charge cycles. Additionally, use Settings - General - Reset and perform a "soft" reset first: Reset All Settings, and if that doesn't work, consider nuking everything via Erase All Content and Settings and reinstalling iOS 7.1 via iTunes.

If these fail, you may simply have to wait for a bug fix from Apple to arrive.